The Roar of the Crowd: Warlord's 2003 Questionnaire

- By Peter Dunn

In early October I sent out the Warlords questionnaire to 97 Warlords possessing a valid email address and received 48 responses (just on 50% response rate). At a recent meeting the Warlords’ Committee considered the feedback and where appropriate decided on future action. The collated responses are contained below, as are any decisions made by the Committee:

1. The Warlords have been in their current venue for almost three years. How does it meet your gaming needs? Are you happy with the facilities? Location? 

Virtually all respondents were happy with the current venue. Concerns mentioned as issues were parking, lighting and efficient use of space (when setting up tables).

Committee Response: Duty Officer to ensure table set up efficient. Parking and to a certain extent lighting are out of our control.

2. Meetings currently occur 1st, 3rd and 5th Saturdays of the month and also the 2nd Thursday. This effectively gives 40 gaming days per year. Is this sufficient for your needs? Would you like to see more? If so another weeknight, Saturday, Sunday afternoon?

Over 75% of respondents were happy with the current meeting schedule. There was limited interest in another weeknight meeting or in a Sunday afternoon meeting.

Some found the 1st, 3rd and 5th Saturday, 2nd Thursday difficult to follow.

Committee Response: The availability of the Hall for a second weeknight meeting (not Thursday) and for Sunday meeting will be ascertained. This will then be put to members at AGM.

Both the website and “Dispatches” will include an “Upcoming Meeting” function.

3. Over the past few years the Club has run a number of “Theme Days”. Being honest, these haven’t been a huge success! Are you interested in attending them? What sort of activities do you want?

Mixed set of results around “Theme Days”. Of those who expressed an opinion, there was a ratio of 2:1 in favour of dropping them. Interestingly, this group included a lot of people who have served on Committee and had to organise them.

The “Theme Days” scored well with a lot of occasional attendees, who really liked them.

However, there was a clear feeling across the board that they needed to better organised and better publicised. The favoured type of events are multiplayer games or games that give members a chance to play another system. Some felt meeting should be limited to a single period.

Committee Response:  There are no further “Theme Days” planned for 2003. The Committee will note the feedback and leave it for next year’s Committee to address.

4. The Club has started running a semi-annual Bring and Buy. How useful are these events?

All those that attended loved the Bring and Buy. There was mention that they should be quarterly and tied to Club drinks.

Committee Response: Keep semi-annually and look to organize drinks around them.

5. Since changing venues, the Club has purchased storage cabinets, additional tables and basecloths. It has also built up some rarely used Club armies. Anything else you’d like to see bought?

Over 60% of those that answered could not think of anything that the Club should purchase. Around 20% felt that we should buy better terrain (possibly commercial or fund construction). There was also support for lighter tables, more storage, table legs and rulebooks.

The Club armies were either disliked as a concept or more often people weren’t aware of them or how to access them.

Committee Response: The Club has now purchased rulebooks for Warhammer 40k, Warhammer Fantasy, Flames of War and DBM. We are still trying to find an economical source of table legs/trestles (proviso is that they don’t take up too much space). Some terrain is being purchased.

The Committee decided to do away with the Club armies, as the concept has not appeared to take off (even though the presence of the armies has been advertised on numerous occasions in “Dispatches”). They will therefore be sold off at the next Bring & Buy.

6. The Club has limited storage space. We have tried to build up terrain but it is fair to say the stuff we have is fairly “manky”. Should we look at ditching the terrain and leaving it up to members to bring their own (Club providing table and cloth)?

The respondents did feel that the manky stuff should be dropped and that the Club should maintain a minimum standard for its terrain. It was viewed that the Club should not be a dumping ground for other people’s crap. Club should investigate providing high quality terrain.

Committee Response: By the time you read this, the Committee will have had a cleanout of the manky terrain and reorganized the storage cupboards. Some new terrain will be purchased and previous purchases will be delivered.

7. If not, have you got any interest in participating in a designated “Terrain Day” where the Club makes terrain?

Comments surrounding this question were that the process needs to be organised and it involves a commitment to two workdays – producing then painting. Previous efforts have not been helped by a breakdown of this process.

Committee Response: This process hasn’t worked in the past so requires better organization. There needs to be a clear plan of what to produce, how it will be done etc. Still the question of how it is stored to maintain it. The Committee will determine what is required and advise the relevant “days”.

8. Feedback on the Club’s “Call to Arms” convention? Brickbats? Bouquets?

Overwhelming “thumbs ups” from members. Four respondents felt it was “so-so” while one classified it as “poor”. All other respondents seemed to enjoy themselves. As an organiser that is gratifying.

The criticisms raised were that the event lacked atmosphere and suffered from poor publicity. This meant lower public attendance than in the past. There were also concerns that the event cost too much and didn’t represent value for money. One respondent believed that the prize pool for DBM was not large enough.

Committee Response: Concerns about publicity acknowledged. The Committee realizes that it needs to do better on this front next year. The Club fronted $200 for the DBM prizes/trophies this year (after being let down by a no-show sponsor). Majority of respondents did not appear to have problems with atmosphere. The cost of registration was the same as it’s been for the last 4 years...repeat attendance would suggest that it is not an issue.

9. Comments on the Club website? Anything that should be added?

The Club website was viewed as good by the majority of respondents who gave an opinion. Approximately 15% of the total respondents hadn’t seen it.

When it came to suggestions, our members weren’t reticent. A significant number felt it needed more regular updating. More recent photos were needed and rather than random they should be tied to the story/piece that is being discussed. Battle reports should be placed on the site and it was felt that a contact list (with members permission) also be posted. Some of the information is out of date or needs updating. The “Roll of Honour” requires updating for recent Nationals and GTs. Finally somebody suggested we measure “hits” on a monthly basis to get an idea of usage.

Committee Response: Future maintenance of the website was discussed by the Committee. It was agreed that there would be a monthly update of the site (last week of the month) and members would be advised of the update. Out of date information will be updated, as will some of the photographs. In future articles and photographs will be tied to each other. The monthly “hits” will be measured and results noted in “Dispatches” so members can get a gauge as to usage.

10. How’s “Dispatches”? Comments on content? Anything that should or shouldn’t be in there?

Everyone liked “Dispatches”. Members realised that the Editor can only do so much and it was up to members to contribute. Two members were indifferent, while one thought that it was poor and should be discontinued (his reasoning was content and that we should concentrate on website).

Committee Response: Like most members I think Gareth has done a good job. Hopefully the current competition will elicit a wider range of articles. Battle Reports/Results will return to the newsletter.

11. For last three years the Club has made a conscious decision not to seek to host the Nationals or NiCon. This has been put to the members each year and stance has been supported. Given it will come up at the AGM next year, should the Club be seeking to host these events (remember somebody has to organize it and if you want it then it probably shouldn’t be “Somebody Else”)?

Of those who responded, 20 said we shouldn’t look to host while 9 felt we should. Those that felt we should host saw it as a cop out that we didn’t host the event. It was felt by some members that we should provide active logistical support to local clubs that were looking to host the events.

Committee Response: Both these issues will again be put to members at the AGM so if you have a view make sure that you attend. Just a personal note – I would say that a lot of those that felt we should host these Conventions have been absent when it comes to helping with Call to Arms. Perhaps they only come out for the Majors :-).

12. Over the past couple of years we have only undertaken limited raids on other clubs. Should we seek to expand this? Would you be keen to participate?

Thirteen respondents felt that we should continue raids on other clubs while 18 were not keen on the idea. Recent raids have not been strongly supported so more organisation would need to be put in place around any future raids that were considered.

Committee Response: As there are no further raids planned for 2003, this is one for next year’s Committee.

13. Any other comments on the Warlords that you’d like to make?

Comments on the Club:

* Very friendly club
* The Club can be intimidating
* Needs to be less emphasis on competitive gaming
* Going great
* Vibrant
* Great club, very inclusive
* Best club I’ve ever participated in
* True value for money
* Do we have Duty Officers?
* Some members need to “grow up”
* Club needs to organise Club competitions
* Tea and coffee often run out. Can Committee ensure that there are adequate supplies?
* The Club needs to show real leadership on national wargaming scene and to     other clubs.

So a lot of good comments there, stuff to work on and it would appear plenty of potential committee members!